Golf outing loosens World Cup team

Published 4:00 am, Monday, June 8, 1998

MONTHIEUX, France - Most players at the World Cup try to avoid traps and hazards. The American team went out of its way to find them Sunday.

After their morning workout in Trevoux, about a half-dozen U.S. players made a 30-minute trip to the Hotel du Gouverneur, Belgium's camp starting Monday.

Roy Wegerle, Brad Friedel and Marcelo Balboa all said they shot under 90 on the par-72, 5,602-yard Le Breuil course, which hopes to get an event on the European PGA Tour.

Back on the field, midfielder Frankie Hejduk had a personal evening training session with coach Steve Sampson. Hejduk missed all three of the team's exhibition games last month because of a hamstring problem.

On Tuesday, the United States plays a closed-door scrimmage against Gueugnon of France's second division.

U.S. foe Germany hits town&lt;

LYON, France - Germany, the opening opponent for the Americans, arrived in France on Sunday, hoping to join Brazil as the World Cup's only four-time champ.

After a charter flight from Frankfurt to Nice, the team went to its headquarters at Mas d'Artigny, just outside St-Paul-de-Vence, in the hills above the Mediterranean resort of Nice.

Players were given silver key rings with the date July 13 - the day they would return home if they are in the final. Aboard the flight, they were served dessert made in the shape of soccer balls and shoes.

Around the Cup&lt;

*FIFA: In Paris, Lennart Johansson lined up his chief backers on the eve of Monday's FIFA presidential election and predicted he will beat Sepp Blatter.

"I'm very confident of victory," said Johansson, president of the Union of European Football Associations. "See what kind of people are surrounding me."

Johansson is supported by Pele while Blatter, FIFA's general secretary, has the backing of the United States, England and France. Up to 192 nations were to vote Monday.

*Netherlands: Forward Dennis Bergkamp may miss the Netherlands' first two World Cup games because of a hamstring injury.

MLS: Galaxy beat Revolution&lt;

Welton, Greg Vanney and Mauricio Cienfuegos also scored for the Galaxy (12-2) and Mexican star Carlos Hermosillo had three assists in his MLS debut. Johnny Torres scored in the opening minute for New England (4-8), which lost its fifth straight.

*Burn 5, United 4: Ted Eck atoned for an own goal by scoring the shootout clincher and visiting Dallas beat D.C. in a rematch of last season's championship match.

The upset came just three days after Dallas (8-5) took the worst defeat in MLS history, 8-1 by the Galaxy. United (12-4) came into the game with an 8-0 mark at RFK Stadium, but the Burn outscored D.C. 3-1 in the shootout.

*MetroStars 2, Fusion 1: Miles Joseph's goal in the 88th minute off an assist from Eduardo Hurtado won it for visiting New York-New Jersey.

Now Playing:

Seals give it something extra&lt;

BURNABY, B.C. - Ryshim Henderson, acquired from the California Jaguars last month, finished a hat trick with two minutes left in overtime to give the San Francisco Bay Seals (5-8) a 3-2 win over the Vancouver 86ers (6-5) in A League play.&lt;

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